Here’s a fluffy banana bread cake recipe that’s light, moist, and tender — more like a banana snack cake than a dense loaf. It uses the right balance of banana, acidity, and leavening for the best texture. This is a recipe we do almost weekly at home !
Super Moist Banana Bread Cake
Servings
4
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
40
minutesIngredients
- Dry Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, improves crumb)
- Wet Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
1/3 cup plain or Greek-style yogourt (2%-5% fat & 5-10g protein)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Grease a 9x5" loaf pan or 8x8 cake pan. - Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch in a bowl. Set aside.
- Separate the eggs:
- Separate egg whites in a clean, dry bowl.
- Place egg yolks in another mixing bowl with the butter and sugars. - Cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and egg yolks until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the vanilla extract, then mix in the mashed bananas and yogurt until well combined.
- Whip the egg whites with a clean whisk or hand mixer until stiff peaks form (like a soft meringue).
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture until just combined - don't overmix.
- Carefully fold the whipped egg whites into the batter in 2 additions. Use a spatula and light strokes to preserve air.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. (Optional: top with coarse sugar, chocolate chips, or walnuts.)
- Bake for:
- 45-55 min (loaf pan)
- 30-35 min (8x8" cake pan)
Until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. - Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Avoid nonfat (too thin) or flavored/sweetened yogurts.
- Freezing and then thawing your bananas results in a much softer, more liquid mash. If your banana bread is to dry, try freezing them before.
Ideal Banana Characteristics
Very Overripe (Black-Spotted or Black-Skinned):
- Skin Color: Mostly brown or black, with little to no yellow left
- Texture: Very soft – almost mushy inside
- Smell: Strong, sweet banana aroma (but not fermented or boozy)
- Taste: Sweet, concentrated banana flavor with no bitterness
Why this Matters:
- Sweetness
- As bananas overripen, starches convert to sugar – you get a richer taste.
- Overripe bananas can be 2x sweeter than firm yellow ones
- Moisture
- Soft, broken-down cell walls = more moisture released into batter. Freezing your bananas will break down cell walls.
- Helps with the soft, tender crumb in baked goods.
Tip:
- If your bananas are ripe but not quite there, speed up ripening by:
- Placing them in a paper bag with an apple overnight
- Baking them at 300°F (150°C) for 15–20 minutes (skins will turn black)
